Inside track: Transport, Shipping & Logistics

In the media

Road Vehicle Standards Bill passes both HousesHeavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) notes the Road Vehicle Standards Act (RVSA) legislation has been through its final stages in Parliament and is expected to take effect from late 2019 and be fully implemented by late 2020 (30 November 2018). More...

Bingo takeover attracts closer look from ACCCWatchdog to examine vertical integration and market concentration in Sydney. The three levels of the supply chain, collection, processing and landfill, are closely linked. Collectors rely on access to processing facilities at competitive rates to compete for customers, and processors rely on access to landfill. The ACCC is investigating these vertical integration issues (30 November 2018). More...

NatRoad seeking feedback on self-clearing defect noticesMore than a year after its rollout, the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) says it supports the ‘self-clearing defect’ category in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) based on information from authorities but is seeking wider feedback from the coalface (29 November 2018). More...

'I'm paying off a licence I no longer own': Taxi drivers suing UberTaxi drivers in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia will sue Uber in what may be "the largest" class action in Australian history (28 November 2018). More...

QTA warns of New South Wales damaged number plates treatmentThe Queenland Trucking Association (QTA) has issued a statement following a member concern, uncovering that in NSW a truck driver can be hit with a $1,392 fine plus four demerit points for number plates not displayed correctly. The state industry body questions the change in enforcement strategy at a time when the national regulatory direction is towards uniformity (28 November 2018). More...

NHVR policy is another step toward risk-based national compliance activitiesHeavy vehicle operators and the broader road transport industry can expect improved targeting of compliance activities by law enforcement agencies as they operate across state borders. National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) CEO Sal Petroccitto released the NHVR’s final National Compliance and Enforcement Policy which includes principles on how agencies should tackle high-risk behaviors and non-compliance in the heavy vehicle industry (27 November 2018). More...

Calls for truck-crash fatalities to be deemed workplace deathsUnion says current approach doesn’t place enough scrutiny higher up supply chain. Recent truck-driver deaths on Australian roads have led to renewed calls to treat truck-crash fatalities as workplace deaths to widen the scope of investigations (26 November 2018). More...

Austroads: Fleet Ride Index proposed to better manage rural roads for freightAustroads has published a report that proposes a ride quality index of roads for heavy vehicles, a heavy vehicle equivalent of the International Roughness Index (IRI) for cars to guide and improve road transport efficiency in Australia (20 November 2018). More...

New app links operators to heavy vehicle rego infoHeavy vehicle operators and supply chain parties can now check the registration status of their fleet on a mobile phone app, no matter which state their vehicles are located. NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the free NHVR Registration Checker app enabled drivers and supply chain parties to check that a vehicle is registered before loading or hopping behind the wheel (19 November 2018). More...

Truck driver charged over deadly accident in Victoria's north-eastA truck driver will remain in custody after fronting court over a crash near Rutherglen in November in which a mother and her 12-year-old son were killed (19 November 2018). More...

NTC releases transport reform implementation reportThe sixth National Transport Reform Implementation Monitoring Report, which was released today by the National Transport Commission (NTC), shows improved progress towards building a uniform transport system across states and territories (19 November 2018). More...

Australian freight and supply chain data study launchedResearch and development body iMOVE has launched a project with the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities (DIRDC) on freight and supply chain data, for which it is seeking participants (19 November 2018). More...

Published - articles, papers, reports

Safety assurance for automated driving systems: decision regulation impact statementNational Transport Commission: 19 November 2018
The purpose of this decision regulation impact statement is to analyse options for the safety assurance of automated driving systems. This analysis is intended to inform a Transport and Infrastructure Council decision on a safety assurance approach. More...More...

NTC National Transport Reform Implementation Monitoring Report, No 6, 19 November 2018The latest report shows that all participating jurisdictions have implemented or are on their way to implementing all amendment packages to the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and the Rail Safety National Law (RSNL) in the 2017-18 fiscal year. More...

NTC Newsletter On the Road Issue 48, 19 November 2018On the Road provides important information on the heavy vehicle industry, including the latest NHVR news and events, relevant law and policy changes, and resources to help industry members comply with the HVNL. More...

Austroads 2017-18 Annual ReportAustroads has published its 2017-18 annual report which provides a detailed review of the strategic focus of each Austroads Program as well as the projects completed and progressed during the year (23 November 2018). More...

In practice and courts

NHVR: Final National Compliance and Enforcement PolicyIncludes principles on how agencies should tackle high-risk behaviours and non-compliance in the heavy vehicle industry. This aligns with the NHVR’s Strategic Directions documents and will lead to more consistency around targeted compliance and high-risk activities (27 November 2018). More...

ALC and ATA: The Master Code for Heavy Vehicle SafetyThis Registered Industry Code of Practice (RICP), known as the Master Code, applies to all parties in the supply chain of a heavy vehicle, known as the Chain of Responsibility (CoR). It is intended to be used by all persons and businesses involved in the transport activity of a heavy vehicle. The Master Code was endorsed by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator for registration on 23 November 2018, and was made publicly available on 29 November 2018. More...

Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI): Round 4 FundingHVSI encourages applications that identify risks and seek opportunities to improve heavy vehicle safety to reduce road trauma and save lives. Applications for round four funding are open until February 22, 2019 and must be implementable and able to start in the 2019-20 financial year for completion by June 30, 2022. More information and submission guidelines can be found here.

Transport Certification Australia (TCA) consultation: draft IntelligentMass Functional and Technical SpecificationThis contains the performance requirements that need to be met by technology providers – or consumers with their own systems – to deliver the application. The consultation period ends December 7, 2018. A copy of the draft Specification can be requested here.

AustRoads: Level of service requirements for freight on rural roads and refinement of heavy vehicle roughness band indexThis investigates the safety and comfort of drivers, including collecting driver seat vibration data, in a range of vehicles to develop a proof of concept for the heavy vehicle ride quality index, and aims to provide road asset managers with information to better manage road infrastructure for improved rural trade and freight transport efficiency (20 November 2018). More...

Consultation for draft AMSA Mandated Practical AssessmentsConsultation is now open for the draft AMSA Mandated Practical Assessments and will close on 10 December 2018. More...

DAWR – Biosecurity Levy Update - $10.02 per TEU – Major Change to Collection ModelThe Biosecurity Levy set at $10.02 per incoming twenty-foot equivalent sea container (TEU) and $1 per tonne for non-containerised cargo, is proposed to be collected from ‘port operators (stevedores) – from 1 July 2019 (30 November 2018). More...

Cases

Korea Shipping Corporation v Lord Energy SA [2018] FCAFC 201ADMIRALTY AND MARITIME – where debtor transferred to trustee title to the ship under trust for benefit of security holder – where ship registered in name of trustee held as security for debtor’s performance of obligation to repay bank the value of bonds issued by debtor – whether debtor correctly determined to be beneficial owner of ship while she was held in trust for purposes of s 19(b) of Admiralty Act 1988 (Cth) – appeal allowed.

Legislation

Modern Slavery Bill 2018Senate Third reading agreed to 28/11/2018
Establishes a Modern Slavery Reporting Requirement to require certain large businesses and other entities in Australia to make annual public reports (Modern Slavery Statements) on their actions to address modern slavery risks in their operations and supply chains.

Heavy Vehicle National Law - National Class 3 Truck and Dog Trailer Mass Exemption Notice 2018 (No.2)22/11/2018 - This notice is made under Section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) as in force in each participating jurisdiction (HVNL). This notice exempts truck and dog trailer combinations from stated prescribed mass requirements in Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (the Regulation), and provide access for those vehicles on specified networks under specified conditions.
Commencement - This Notice commences on the date of its publication. Expiry -This Notice expires five years after commencement.

Disclaimer
The information in this publication is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavour to provide accurate and timely information, we do not guarantee that the information in this newsletter is accurate at the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future.

Share this

Related Posts

Since 1 October 2018, heavy vehicle supply chain participants of all sizes have been feverishly trying to alter their business practices to stay compliant with the changes to the Heavy Vehicle National Law. One of the most notable changes is the introduction of new ‘safety duties’ which will apply to all parties involved in the Chain of Responsibility.

In November 2018, the NHVR launched the National Compliance and Enforcement Policy (NCEP). The NCEP details the NHVR’s policy and approach to compliance and enforcement of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), including what kind of enforcement or sanction actions will be undertaken by the NHVR in response to non-compliance in certain circumstances.